Textile picker and drive arrangement therefor



Sept. 17, 1968 c. B. BOOKOUT ET AL 8 TEXTILE PICKER AND DRIVE ARRANGEMENT THEREFOR Filed May 16. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CONRAD B. BooKou-r 31 M .641 jg flu ww wl ATTORNEYS Sept. 17, 1968 c BOOKOUT ET AL 3,401,428

TEXTILE PICKER AND DRIVE ARRANGEMENT THEREFOR Fil ed May 16. 1966 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 EINVENTOR.

'CONEAD B' -r ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,401,428 TEXTILE PICKER AND DRIVE ARRANGEMENT THEREFOR Conrad B. Bookout, Charlotte, N.C., assignor, by mesne assignments, to G. W. Murphy Industries, Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed May 16, 1966, Ser. No. 550,475 2 Claims. (Cl. 1989) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A textile picker wherein an endless chain and drive sprockets are utilized for drivingly connecting pairs of condenser screens and associated draw rolls in the breaker sections and wherein in the finishers section an endless chain additionally drivingly connects a set of calender rolls with the associated pair of condenser screens and draw rolls to in all instances obtain smooth and closely coordinated rotational movement of the drivingly connected components for facilitating the formation of a more uniform continuous sheet of fibers.

This invention relates to a textile picker and drive arrangement therefor and, more particularly, to the combination with a textile picker of an endless flexible member drive arrangement for facilitating the formation of a more uniform picker lap.

In processing textile fiber materials, such as cotton, to produce textile goods, the supplying of nonuniform intermediate packages of fiber being processed to subsequent processing apparatus results in poor uniformity of the final product goods and is not readily counteracted in the subsequent processing steps. Accordingly, the necessity of obtaining the greatest possible uniformity of flow and packaging of the fibers throughout the processing steps and particularly in the early processing steps is apparent. One of the early processing steps in the preparation of textile goods from textile fiber material is performed by a textile picker, which receives loosely distributed wads or clumps of textile fibers and produces a continuous sheet of fibers referred to as a lap, which is subsequently processed through carding, drawing, roving, spinning, etc. to produce the textile goods Generally, a textile picker includes at least one fiber processing section which has a plurality of operating instrumentalities, some of which are rotatable, which act on the textile fiber to produce the continuous sheet or lap. A beater is provided to strike the wads of fibers, opening the fibers or loosening them up from a tightly packed condition, and removing waste and debris from the fibers. A condenser screen is provided for receiving and collecting tufts of fibers struck by the beater and forming those tufts into a continuous sheet, which is drawn from the condenser screen by a pair of draw rolls.

In the past, textile fibers have been processed through a number of individual textile pickers each having a single processing section, to finally produce the lap which is advanced to the carding operation. This type of operation is referred to as multiple process picking. In this century, the so-called single process multiple stage picker has become more widely used, wherein textile fibers are successively processed through two or more processing sections provided in a single picker apparatus, to obtain a result similar to that obtained in multiple process operation by processing the fibers through a number of individual pickers.

In all pickers known to me, the drive arrangements for the rotatable elements of a fiber processing section have heretofore used gear arrangements. Certain of the elements are operatively connected to a power source means,

3,401,428 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 as by a belt drive connection of an electric motor to the beater or beaters of the picker, while others of the elements are interconnected to the certain elements to be driven thereby through trains of gears. Typically, the interconnection has been from the beater or beaters to draw rolls and by gear connection between one of the pair of draw rolls to a condenser screen.

In order to obtain the required ratios of rotational movement in a conventional drive arrangement as described above, it has been necessary that there be a substantial differential between the diameters of the condenser screen driven gear and the one draw roll driving gear. In particular, the driving gear is quite small as compared to the driven gear. With this disparity in pitch diameters between the two gears, and the relatively course pitch used in textile picker drive trains, considerable looseness exists between the gears due to the limited engagement of the teeth of the gears.

The importance of the looseness in the gear train interconnecting one of the pair of draw rolls and a condenser screen becomes readily apparent when it is recognized that jerky or uneven rotational movement of a condenser screen collecting tuft-s of fiber from the-beater of a fiber processing section will produce an uneven and nonuniform sheet of fibers being delivered from the section by the draw roll. The nonuniformity thus introduced in the continuous sheet, due to uneven rotational movement of the condenser screen, is not readily resolved, and presents continuing problems of nonuniformity as the textile fibers are processed into a finished product.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide a means, in combination with a textile picker, for facilitating the formation of a more uniform continuous sheet of fibers, through smoothly and :closely coordinating the rotational movements of a condenser screen and one of the pair of draw rolls advancing a sheet of fibers from the condenser, so that a more uniform flow of fibers therethrouzgh is obtained.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a means of the character described above in combination with a single process multiple stage textile picker having a finisher section and a breaker section, wherein the combination comprises an endless flexible drive member associated with each fiber processing section of the picker, supported for movement along a predetermined closed path of travel, and connecting a condenser screen of the respective section and one of the associated pair of draw rolls in that section advancing a sheet of fibers therefrom, so that the rotation of the associated screens and rolls 'of each section are closely coordinated.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a schematic side view in section of a single process multiple stage textile picker incorporating the drive arrangement of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic perspective view of certain elements of a breaker section drive arrangement in accordance with this invention, taken generally as indicated by the arrow 2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, taken substantially as indicated by the arrow 3 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a schematic side view in section of a portion of a finisher section drive arrangement for the picker of FIGURE 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, a single process textile picker is shown in FIGURE 1 and generally indicated at 10. As described more fully hereinafter, the drive arrangement of this invention is included in combination with the picker It). The picker as illustrated, is representative of a single process militiple stage picker presently in wide use in the textile industry, and includes a number of textile fiber handling and processing sections. In the order of textile fiber flow through the picker 10, these sections are generally indicated as a hopper feed section 11, a back breaker section 12, a front breaker section 13, a synchronizer section 14, a finisher evener section 15 and a finisher and calender section 16. The hopper feed section 11 and finisher evener section 15 are primarily fiber handling sections rather than fiber processing sections, in that these sections primarily serve the functions of supplying textile fiber to the breaker sections 12, 13 and finisher section 16 which perform processing steps on the fiber. The synchronizer section 14 serves the function of assuring proper coordi nation between the operation of the other sections of the picker 10. While the picker 10 is illustrated as a single process multiple stage picker, it is to be understood at the outset that the process performed by the picker 10 may be performed by three separate and independent pickers each including a fiber processing section, in which instance the operation would be referred to as multiple process or three process operation, and that the combination of this invention may be applied to a single fiber processing section where multiple process operation is undertaken.

In the picker 10, each of the fiber processing sections, for example the back breaker section 12, includes a plurality of rotatable operating instrumentalities for operating on the textile fibers passing therethrough. In the back breaker section 12, one of the rotatable elements is a heater 20. Fiber being supplied to the beater 20 is struck thereby and forced into contact with grid bars 21 and leaf bars 22, for the removal of debris therefrom. Tufts of fiber thus formed by the beater 20 pass to a pair of condenser screens 24, 25. As generally well known, each of the condenser screens is a generally cylindrical member having a perforate wall, and a current of air is drawn from the interior of each of the condenser screens 24, 25 by a fan 26, to cause the tufts of fibers passing to the condenser screens from the beater 20 to be deposited on the exterior surface of the condenser screens 24, 25 and be formed into a continuous sheet. A pair of draw rolls 28, 29 advance the sheet of fibers formed by the condenser screens 24, 25 forwardly toward a pair of feed rolls 30, 31 and toward subsequent processing steps, in this instance toward the front breaker section 13.

The front breaker section 13 of the picker 10 similarly includes a plurality of rotatable elements, substantially similar to those mentioned above with reference to the back breaker section 12. Specifically, the operating instrumentalities of the front breaker section include a heater 34, grid bars 35, leaf bars 35, a pair of condenser screens 38, 39, a fan and a pair of draw rolls 41, 42. The sheet of fibers formed by the back breaker section 12 is supplied to the beater 34 of the front breaker section 13 by the pair of feed rolls 30, 31.

The sheet of fibers formed by the front breaker section 13 is advanced to the finisher section 16 through the finisher evener section 15, and is supplied to rotatable elements similar to those of the back and front breaker sections 12, 13. More particularly, the operating instrumentalities of the finisher section 16 include a heater 44, grid bars 45, leaf bars 46, a pair of condenser screens 48, 49, a fan 50, and a pair of draw rolls 51, 52. From the draw rolls 51, 52 of the finisher section 16, the sheet of fiber is advanced to a set of calender rolls, 54-57 and to a lap-forming station indicated generally at 59.

Drive arrangements for the rotatable elements of pickers may vary in specific detail depending upon what operating instrumentalities are provided and whether the picking operation is performed with single process or multiple process pickers. Generally, however, one of the elements of a fiber processing section, usually a heater such as the heaters 29, 34, 44 is connected to a power source means such as an electrical motor, and others of the elements, such as the condenser screens 24, 25, 38, 39, 48, 49; draw rolls 2%, 2'9, 41, 42, 51, 52; feed rolls 39, 31; and the set of calender rolls 54-57 are operatively interconnected with a heater to derive rotational power therefrom. As discussed more fully heretofore, it is in the operative interconnection of the other rotatable operating instrumentailities, and specifically the draw rolls and the condenser screen, that difiiculty has heretofore arisen in obtaining a uniform sheet of fibers from a picker such as the picker 10.

In order to facilitate the formation of a more uniform continuous sheet of fibers by a picker, by smoothly and closely coordinating the rotational movements of a condenser scrcen and the respective pair of draw rolls to obtain a uniform fiow of fibers therethrough, this invention provides a means in combination with the picker in the form of an endless, flexible member supported for movement along a predetermined closed path of travel and connecting a condenser screen and one of the pair of draw rolls advancing a sheet of fibers therefrom. Inasmuch as the picker It? is a single process multiple stage picker, including three fiber processing sections, a plurality of endless, flexible members are provided, each being operatively associated with one of the breaker and finisher sections.

The combination of an endless, flexible member and the elements of the back breaker section 12 is schematically illustrated in FIGURE 2 where the draw rolls 28, 29, and feed rolls 30, 31 of that section are shown. As is conventional, each of the draw rolls 28, 29 has secured thereto a gear 60, 61 respectively, which gears are in mesh and assure the desired coordination of rotational movement of the pair of rolls 28, 29. Similarly, each of the pair of feed rolls 30, 31 has a gear 63, 64, respectively, secured thereto for similar purposes. In accordance with this invention, the rotation of the feed rolls 28, 29 is smoothly and closely coordinated to the rotation of the condenser screens 24, 25 through a positive or slipless connection provided by an endless, flexible member 65, supported for movement along a predetermined closed path of travel. The endless, flexible member 65 preferably is a roller chain or similar chain drive member which engages a draw roll sprocket 66 secured to one of the pair of the draw rolls 28, 29 (in this instance, the lower draw roll 29). The member 65 additional engages two condenser screen sprockets 68, 69 respectively, which are secured to the condenser screens 24, 25 for rotation therewith. In order to permit adjustment of the slack present in the member 65, an idler sprocket 70 is also provided, which may be adjustably mounted in a suitable manner on any stationary support such as a frame member of the picker 10. The condenser screen sprockets 68, 69, draw roll sprocket 66, and idler sprocket 70, together support the member 65 and determine a closed path of travel along which that member may move. By the positive engagement of the member 65 with the respective sprockets 66, 63, 69, the rotation of the respective operating instrumentalities of the back breaker section 12 are properly coordinated and nonuniform rotation of any element relative to others of the connected group is effectively preeluded.

In order to further facilitate the formation of a more uniform continuous sheet of fibers, this invention contemplates that the pair of feed rolls 30, 31 advancing the sheet of fibers from the pair of draw rolls 28, 29 in the back breaker section 12 will have the rotation thereof smoothly and closely coordinated to the rotation of the respective condenser screens and draw rolls. This is accomplished through the use of a second endless, flexible member 71, similar to the member 65, which is supported for movement along a predetermined closed path by drive sprockets 72, 73 respectively fixed to the lower draw roll 29 and lower feed roll 31.

In accordance with this invention, the drive arrangement of the combination which is provided for the front breaker section 13, and shown schematically in FIGURE 3, is substantially similar to the back breaker section 12 drive arrangement as shown schematically in FIGURE 2. The drive arrangement for the front breaker section 13 connects the draw rolls 41, 42 and the condenser screens 38, 39. Inasmuch as the draw rolls 41, 42 are operatively connected to rotate at the same speed by a pair of gears 75, 76, a draw roll sprocket 78 is secured only to the lower draw roll 42. The draw roll sprocket 78, in conjunction with condenser screen sprockets 79 and 80 and an idler sprocket 81, supports an endless, flexible member 82, similar to the member 65, for movement along a predetermined path of travel. In similarity to the drive arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 2, a second endless, flexible member 84 is provided, which connects a drive sprocket 85 also mounted on the lower draw roll 42 and drive sprocket 86, mounted on a cross-shaft 87 for purposes to be described more fully hereinafter.

In the finisher section 16, a more uniform continuous sheet of fibers will be formed when the rotation of the set of calender rolls is also coordinated with the rotation of the pair of draw rolls and the condenser screens, and this invention contemplates that such connection may be obtained through an endless, flexible member as illustrated in FIGURE 4. As the four rolls provided in the set of calender rolls 5457 are interconnected by suitable gear trains to rotate at the same speed, and the draw rolls 51, 52 are similarly connected, proper coordination of the rotation of these elements may be provided by a finisher section endless, flexible member 90 supported for movement along a predetermined closed path of travel by condenser screen sprockets 91, 92 respectively connected to the condenser screens 48, 49; by a calender roll sprocket 94 connected to one of the set of calender rolls 54-57; by a draw roll sprocket 95 connected to the lower draw roll 52, and by an idler sprocket 96.

In over-all drive arrangements for a single process multiple picker such as the picker illustrated in FIG- URE 1, with reference to which this invention has been described with particularity, motive power for rotation of the various rolls and condenser screens of the breaker sections 12, 13 is frequently obtained flhrough the use of a side shaft (not shown) which interconnects the lower feed roll 31 of the back breaker section 12, and the cross-shaft 87 of the front breaker section 13. The side shaft obtains motive power by further interconnection to the beater of one section, such as the beater 44 of the finisher section 16, which is driven by belt connection to an electric motor (not shown). Inasmuch as the rolls of the lap forming station 59 are frequently driven by suitable interconnection to the same beater 44, and one of the calender rolls 5457 is driven by gear engagement with one roll of the lap forming station 59, motive power for the rolls and condenser screens of the finisher section 16 which are joined by the endless, flexible member 90 is obtained by the latter path. While the interconnections described immediately above are frequently used as details of an over-all drive arrangement for a single process multiple stage picker, it is to be understood that the particular interconnection path by which motive power is applied to one of the rolls and condenser screens of a fiber processing section may be varied without affecting adversely the formation of a more uniform continuous sheet of fibers as contemplated by this invention.

It is believed apparent that there -has been herein described in combination with a textile picker of a novel drive arrangement in which an endless, flexible member,

preferably a chain drive member, operatively intercom nects a condenser screen and the rolls associated therewith for advancing a sheet of fibers therefrom, so that rotational movement of the screen and rolls is more closely and uniformly coordinated to facilitate the formation of a more uniform sheet of fibers by the picker.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a textile picker for processing textile fibers and including a fiber processing section having a plurality of rotatable elements including a beater, a pair of cooperating condenser screens for receiving textile fibers from the heater and forming the same into a continuous sheet, a pair of draw rolls positioned in front of the condenser screens for withdrawing the sheet of fibers therefrom, and a set of calender rolls for receiving and advancing the sheet of fibers from the draw rolls; the combination therewith of means for smoothly and closely coordinating the rotational movements of said condenser screens, draw rolls, and set of calender rolls for facilitating the formation of a more uniform continuous sheet of fibers, said means comprising drive sprockets connected to said condenser screens and to certain of said draw rolls and calender rolls for rotation therewith, and an endless chain common to and connecting all of said sprockets.

2. In a textile picker for processing textile fibers and including a breaker processing section, and a finisher processing section, each of said sections having a plurality of rotatable elements including a beater, a pair of cooperating condenser screens for receiving textile fibers from the beater and forming the same into a continuous sheet, and a pair of draw rolls positioned in front of the condenser screens for withdrawing the sheet of fibers therefrom, said finisher section also having a set of calender rolls for receiving and advancing the sheet of fibers from the respective draw rolls; the combination therewith of means for smoothly and closely coordinating the rotational movements of said condenser screens and draw rolls in said breaker section and for smoothly and closely coordinating the rotational movements of said condense-r screens, draw rolls and set of calender rolls in said finisher section for facilitating the formation of a more uniform continuous sheet of fibers, said means comprising drive sprockets connected to said condenser screens and to certain of said respective draw rolls and calender rolls for rotation therewith, and an endless chain for each of said sections and connecting all of said sprockets in the respective section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 208,071 9/1878 Camp 19156.1

421,242 2/ 1890 Carroll.

765,916 7/ 1904 Carter 19156.4

867,535 10/1907 Reagan 19155 XR 1,009,576 1 1/ 1911 Riemenschneider 19156.4 XR 1,081,111 12/1913 Grimes 19156.1 1,379,229 5/7921 Taft 19156.1 1,825,167 9/1931 Wilkinson 19.2 XR 1,908,294 5/1933 Howe 1997.5

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

DORSEY NEWTON, Assistant Examiner. 

